Task: read a passage and summarize it into one sentence.

Passage length: normally within 300 words.

Answer word limit: 5 - 75

Number of questions in the exam: 1 - 2

Exam Tips

SWT is a very simple question type. There are two steps in answering:

Follow the following 3 Rules to look for key sentences:

When connecting sentences, you don't need to paraphrase any sentences. Make sure correct conjunctions are used. For example, words like “however / therefore / moreover” are not conjunctions. They cannot be used to link two sentences into a single sentence. And please pay attention to punctuation and spacing.

Answer Time

The maximum time given for each SWT task is 10 minutes. It is an individually timed task, meaning that even if you finish this question early, say, in EIGHT minutes, the remaining TWO minutes will NOT be added to the next question. Therefore, there is no need to rush, and responses should be carefully checked before submission.

First read the passage quickly to understand the main theme

The first in the PTE summarize written text tips and tricks is: Read first! Before you start writing the summary it is important to get a general idea of the text. You must know how the text is organized - where the main points are, etc. This will help you when you look for key points to include in your summary.

Find the main points to include in summary in the second reading

Once you have an overview pick the key points to include in the summary. These will usually revolve around the theme. Each point should convey some distinct piece of information.

Take notes when you are reading

You can write down anything you feel is important. It is not always required to take notes in this question type, as there are other ways to keep a track of important points.

Don't write a summary that is either too long or too short

Ideally you should write around 30 to 40 words. Since you have to write only one sentence it becomes more and more difficult to avoid grammar and spelling mistakes as the number of words in the sentence increases.

Connect the sentences properly as you can only write one sentence in your response

You will write only one sentence but it will be a complex sentence combining various key points from the text. Make sure you use the right connectors and linking words to show the relationships between different parts of this sentence.

Don't use the exact same words or sentence structure as the main text

You can copy the sentences from the text and use it as a beginning point. But if you just join them as it is you will not get good marks. Try to change the words and make your response look original.

Review your grammar and vocabulary in the last couple of minutes

Don't submit your response without doing a review. This is a chance to catch any avoidable mistakes and also improve the quality of your response. Do this for all the questions in PTE Writing section.

Don't write in all capital letters

Many people who aren't used to typing on keyboards on a day to day basis end up making this mistake. People feel if they hit caps lock and go on typing it will be faster. However, if you do this you will not get any point at all. Use capital letters only where they make sense.